The Wooden Library (Ikmen Mystery 27): Meet Ikmen in THE TURKISH DETECTIVE, BBC Two's sensational TV series

by Barbara Nadel

The twenty-seventh mystery featuring Inspector İkmen, star of BBC Two's gripping crime drama series The Turkish Detective.
Inspector Mehmet Süleyman is on holiday in Romania when his distant cousin calls. Nurettin Süleyman has bought the Wooden Library, an ancient building in Istanbul once owned by their ancestor. He needs help cataloguing its priceless contents and who better for the job than Mehmet's old friend Çetin İkmen? As İkmen sets to work, he detects a terrible smell pervading the library that leads to the discovery of a rotting corpse. The dead body is that of Senol Ulusoy, the man who sold Nurettin the library . . .

A long-running feud between the two families comes to light, as does the bitter rivalry between the three Ulusoy brothers, fuelled by their father's cruel manipulation. Then pathologist Arto Sarkissian makes a shocking discovery that turns this case on its head, and Süleyman's detective team must dig deep to reveal a truth that is rooted in the past as well as the present . . .

Praise for Barbara Nadel's İkmen

'Complex and beguiling: a Turkish delight' Mick Herron

'İkmen is one of modern crime fiction's true heroes, complex yet likeable, and the city he inhabits - Istanbul - is just as fascinating' The Times

'Barbara Nadel's distinctive Istanbul-set Inspector İkmen thrillers combine brightly coloured scene setting with deliciously tortuous plots' Guardian

418 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2025

About the author

Barbara Nadel is an English crime-writer. Many of her books are set in Turkey. Born in the East End of London, Barbara Nadel trained as an actress before becoming a writer. Now writing full-time, she has previously worked as a public relations officer for the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's Good Companion Service and as a mental health advocate for the mentally disordered in a psychiatric hospital. She has also worked with sexually abused teenagers and taught psychology in schools and colleges, and is currently the patron of a charity that cares for those in emotional and mental distress. She has been a regular visitor to Turkey for more than twenty-five years.

Reviews

[Stephen the Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Nadel is at the top of her game with this 27th Ikmen story. It's all the better for not being too gang crime based as some recent stories have.

This is a mystery story weaving family feuds; greed; life beyond death and a great plot with twists and turns.

Ikmen , Suleyman, Gonca, Gursel and other favourites return and it is this familiarity with characters that make this an intriguing series along side learning more about the fascinating city of Istanbul.

As previously said - for maximum enjoyment the series is best read in order but this story could just about be standalone.

Crime fiction at its best. A total winner

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if I had read others in the series. The story was very good, but there was a lot of back story that I didn’t know about. Also I felt the end was a bit rushed. Not a lot of explanation of how the murders was committed.

[Elizabeth Sirett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening the 27th book in the Ikmen series is like welcoming an old friend.

One is quickly taken on a journey to both unknown and strangely familiar places. Inspector Mehmet Suleyman is on holiday in Romania with his Roma wife visiting her family.

A distant cousin has purchased an ancient building - a wooden library - and he is cataloguing the priceless contents. Ikmen is called upon to help with the task as he is now retired. However, there is a body in the library! A rotting corpse and Suleyman's cousin becomes a suspect.

The story involves old feuds and familial relationships which go back many generations. As in all this series the regular minor characters add their own dramas to the tapestry of events and there is a fascinating intermingling of both Istanbul and its history and the lives of all the various characters both in Turkey and Romania.

This novel is a welcome addition to Nadel's oeuvre and leaves one wanting more!
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Reviewer: Toni Russell
For Lizzie Sirett (Mystery People Group)

[Oundle Crime · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I picked this off the shelf I had no idea it was Book 27 in a series featuring the Turkish detective, Inspector Ikmen. Ikmen is now retired and helping the friend of a friend to catalogue the contents of the Wooden Library, an ancient building in Istanbul. As they start work, they can’t ignore a terrible smell in the building and soon discover a rotting corpse concealed under the floorboards. The body is that of Senol Ulusoy, the man who had recently sold the library. It’s quite a convoluted plot but very readable and has a great twist at the end. There’s also a useful Cast List at the beginning of the book to help you keep track of who’s who. This was the first book I've ever read in this series but I'll definitely be looking for more. It doesn't seem to be that much of an issue to read them as standalone novels.
Review by: Cornish Eskimo, Oundle Crime

[Marina Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't be entirely objective about this book, as part of it is set in Romania and it features a dedication to me and two of the authors I've translated. Besides, returning to Ikmen and Suleyman is always a delight. This one has a rather sad thread of family secrets and abuse running through it. But I'd love to have access to that library in spite of the smell.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me longer than usual to get into this book, I usually find this author’s work quicker to follow. I really got confused between characters this time!

[Steven Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Another excellent book in this detective series. Well worth a read. A great page turner that keeps you guessing until the end.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

not my cup of tea

[Christine Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Ikmen sorcery…I love it!